John Bleasby
Become your own home town hero
Canadian ContractorGood corporate citizenship within your community can pay big rewards to your business
Building better homes is one thing, but what about building better communities? Your potential local customers likely want to know what your company is doing to make the world a better place. There are dozens of ways to make an impact, and they don’t have to cost big dollars.
Local events and festivals
It’s likely your community hosts several events each year, like a Jazz Festival, a Winter festival, or fund raising events to improve a shared community asset like a recreation centre. Your company’s skills, either through volunteer skilled labour or actual materials is a great ways to show you care about the success and betterment of your city, town or village. The visibility offered in return will be noticed. Perhaps you can sponsor a youth sport team, or make a contribution in labour or kind to a youth centre.
It’s great for the community and it’s great for staff morale. Your company’s reputation is enhanced, your local network is strengthened, and bonding within your own staff for a common goal is improved. It’s the kind of positive advertising every building or renovation company would want. For the dollars invested, the payback in reputation and goodwill can be tremendous.
Ways to participate are limited only by imagination
Moving beyond sport, youth and special events, there are many other ways to become a positive influence within your own community.
Serving on community boards that focus on education, the local hospital, or the arts, for example, allow you to support worthwhile efforts in your area that suit your own tastes. Maybe you can join your town’s Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps offering a small scholarship to graduates of the local high school who are attending university or college is a way to tell your key market that you care about their families and their children’s future.
Research shows that over 80% of consumers consider using services or companies who are strong contributing members of their communities. Almost every community service or event will welcome your contribution and will recognize your need to be acknowledged. On top of that, there’s nothing wrong with telling the community about your commitment to them through your Facebook page, newsletters or signs. Sure, it’s non-traditional, but what goes around comes around.
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